Andrew skidded to a complete stop in front of Nyla’s apartment building and surveyed the parking lot. He spotted her instantly a few rows back from him. He felt her fear and it was gripping his chest tight.

Brody and Winston shot past him, guns out, as he made his way toward her car. He located Edgar in a black suburban behind Nyla, two spots over. He gave him a slight nod before Edgar emerged from the truck and headed toward Nyla's apartment.

Nyla didn’t move when she spotted Andrew. She stared at him through the windshield, the whites of her eyes bright, overcoming her brown dilated irises.

She followed his movements, never diverting her eyes from him. She kept a tight grip on the steering wheel as if it was her lifeline. When Andrew moved to the driver’s side door to open it, Nyla flung it open and jumped in his arms. He caught her easily and held her tight against him.

“Andrew, what’s going on?” she asked before burying her face in the side of his neck.

“I don’t know, baby. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Her grip on him tightened, and he soothed her as best he could, rubbing her back and whispering comforting words to her.

When Nyla finally pulled back, she didn’t remove her arms from around him. She gripped his polo-style shirt tight in her grip and looked up at him.

Andrew pushed her hair back from her forehead and kissed her there lightly. “Everything’s going to be all right. I’m here now.” He looked toward her apartment as more cop cars skidded to a stop in front of her building. Deacon already had his badge out and was pointing to Nyla’s building stairs.

“What’s going on?” Nyla asked him. She rested her head on his chest and watched helplessly as more cops ascended to her apartment. Ironically, none had yet to emerge.

Andrew, wanting to distract her, moved to the back door of her car. He leaned down and looked at a sleeping Se’Nya. “How’s she doing?”

“She has a fever and she threw up all over me when I went to pick her up. I needed to change our clothes. I couldn’t take another second smelling like vomit.”

“Is that why you went to Diane’s?”

“Yes, plus I had heard on the news that a huge pileup was on the highway going home. I didn’t want to fight that traffic so I went over to Dee Dee’s apartment. I have her spare key, which was a good thing. I did not want to go to the diner to get hers. I looked and smelled awful.”

Se’Nya began to stir and she blinked until her eyes popped open. Andrew opened the back door, released the seatbelt to her car seat, and hefted her up into his arms.

“How are you feeling, princess?” he had asked softly.

Se’Nya whined a bit and rested her head on his chest.

“AP!”

Andrew’s head swiveled to the curb and found Cedric heading his way. Andrew laced his fingers through Nyla’s and headed to meet his brother.

Cedric smirked and started to kid with his brother on how domesticated he looked, but then he froze. He looked at Nyla and felt as if he had been hit by a speeding train. The fierce need to protect her came over him instantly. At first, he thought he needed to protect her from Andrew, yet he surmised Andrew wasn’t a threat to Nyla. It was something else. He looked around the parking lot, trying to spot the threat he felt in his bones.

Andrew picked up on what he was doing and tightened his grip on Nyla’s hand and the baby in his arms.

“What’s up? You see something?” Andrew asked once they were a few feet in front of each other.

Cedric, stunned at what had just happened, blinked a few times at Andrew and then looked down at Nyla. When the staring became too lengthy, Andrew cleared his throat, told Cedric to be careful in his mind, and looked at Nyla.

“Nyla, this is my brother, Cedric. He’s a homicide detective. Cedric this is Nyla and Se’Nya.”

A softening look cascaded over Cedric’s hard features for a split second before it vanished. It was replaced with his usual despondent look and coldness in his now dark green eyes.

Cedric stiffened and regarded Nyla. He pushed out his hand to her in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you. Too bad it’s under these circumstances.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well.” Nyla shook his hand and smiled. “Um, is there a dead body or a bomb in my apartment or something? Because I have to tell you, it wasn’t there when I left.”

Cedric smiled slightly. “No, there isn’t a dead body or a bomb. But I would like for you to confirm that you locked the door behind you when you left your apartment.”

Nyla nodded. “Yes, I did. I know I did.”

“My brother said that you questioned it over the phone? Why?” he asked her.

“Oh, that was nothing. I was chalking it up to the meds, but I know I locked my door. I’ve been paranoid ever since Andrew and his best friend had it out in the front of my building.”

Confused, Cedric looked at her and then at Andrew and they both brought their uncertain eyes to Nyla.

Nyla rolled her eyes and added, “The night when you and Leonard bumped heads on which knucklehead had the biggest you know what.”

Cedric laughed, but Andrew did not. He placed cold eyes on his second, which made Cedric laugh even harder.

Andrew’s frown deepened as he addressed Cedric. “Are there any other questions you want to ask?”

Smiling, Cedric regarded Nyla. “Have you had any run-ins with anyone? Has anyone threatened you or looked suspicious hanging around your building after that night or even before?”

Nyla shook her head. “No, nothing like that. I stay to myself. Can you tell me what has happened in my apartment? Did someone break in?”

Cedric looked at Andrew first, getting the okay from him before he replied, “Yes.”

Nyla brought her hands to her mouth, eyes wide.

“Oh my God! Are you sure? I mean, did they take something? My TV? I don’t really have anything of value in there but that.” She then started for the stairs, but Andrew grabbed her hand. She looked back at him questioningly when she felt resistance. “What?”

“Ms. Montgomery, I can’t let you upstairs. I’m sorry,” Cedric added and took a deep breath and continued. “I’m afraid that whoever broke into your house trashed it completely.”

“What do you mean trashed it?” Andrew quizzed before Nyla could.

Cedric turned to Andrew. “I mean trashed it…destroyed it. It looks like someone took a sledge hammer to everything in your apartment or a bomb went off inside your apartment. The couch is demolished. The TV smashed, the tables, lamps, pictures--everything. Even the bedroom furniture and mattress have been destroyed.”

A horrified gasp escaped Nyla’s lips and she felt faint. She gripped Andrew’s arm to steady herself. She couldn’t believe what Cedric was telling her.

“Are you sure?” she asked because she didn’t know what else to say.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Who would do such a thing?” she asked him, looking at Cedric and Andrew when she spoke.

“I don’t know. That’s why we’re here. I have some techs on their way to dust for prints, collect any fibers, and try to piece together what happened. But I’m sorry I can’t let you upstairs. It’s a sort of a crime scene.”

“Oh my God…oh my God,” Nyla said repeatedly, her eyes glossed over and staring out into nothing. Her hands were shaking. Her body was shaking. She was in a complete state of shock.

“Hey,” she heard faintly and couldn’t quite find where the voice was coming from. Then she felt his touch on the side of her cheek. She turned into his hand and closed her eyes. She shuttered and then opened her moistened eyes. She looked up into his confident face and started to feel better.

“Baby, everything is going to be fine,” Andrew assured her. He rubbed the pad of his thumb along her cheek, catching a tear that had fallen. “Everything in that apartment, although special, is replaceable. You and Se’Nya are not.”

Nyla gripped his wrist, closed her eyes, and nodded. Andrew, feeling his own body getting ready to fly into a rage, gripped her by the back of her head and brought her to him. He hugged her with one arm and kissed the top of her head.

“I got you, baby. I’ll take care of everything. Once the cops do their thing, I'll do mine. Do you have renter's insurance?” He felt her nod. “Okay. We’ll file the claim so you can replace some of your things. Don’t worry.”

Nyla wiped at her eyes and stepped back from him. She looked at Andrew and Cedric. “I know they are just things and I’m okay with getting them replaced. I’m just wondering who would do such a thing. And before you say it, no, this doesn’t happen very often here.” Nyla saw the skepticism in their eyes and she rolled hers in response. “I’m serious. People are too afraid of what Leonard would do to them if they did something like this without him sanctioning it.” Nyla’s eyes grew the size of saucers as the implication of her words settled in her mind.

Andrew, catching her meaning and feeling her fear, said quickly, “Don’t you even think it. I told you that you didn’t have to worry about any blowback from Leonard or his crew.”

Cedric frowned, feeling that he had a suspect he could chase down. “Are you talking about his best friend? The one AP let get away?”

Andrew took a deep breath to calm down before he replied, “Yes, we are talking about him.”

“Andrew, no one would touch my apartment but him or his crew,” Nyla told him.

“And, I’m telling you, he wouldn’t be dumb enough to cross me. Trust me, baby. This wasn’t him.”

“I have to agree with AP,” Cedric countered. “From what I was told about the guy, he’s not that stupid, knowing the kind of police backup you have. But that doesn’t mean his hands aren’t completely clean. He may have seen something or heard something. It won’t hurt to have a little chat with him. Do you know where he lives?”

Nyla gave him the apartment number and pointed in the direction of his apartment building.

“Look, I know this is a crime scene, but can I just get some clothes for me and Se’Nya?” Nyla asked again before moving toward her apartment building.

Cedric stepped in her way and held up his hands. “Whoa, I’m sorry I’m afraid I can’t let you upstairs.”

Nyla frowned and folded her arms in front of her chest. “Okay, then can someone get them for me? A tech wearing gloves maybe?”

Cedric sighed and looked at Andrew. He told his brother, using his mind, the reason why Nyla couldn’t go upstairs and Andrew groaned.

“What?” Nyla looked at Cedric first and then Andrew before refocusing on Cedric again. “Tell me.”

Cedric, again looked to Andrew for an okay before he said to Nyla, “Can I be real honest with you?”

Nyla nodded that he could and said, “Yes, of course. Please.”

“Okay.” Cedric blew out a breath and announced softly, “When I say your apartment was destroyed I mean it was destroyed. There are no clothes in your closet or your dresser drawers. There’s a large tin can in the center of the living room and a few of the techs have found traces of burnt material that could’ve been clothing, plastic, and wood. Your plates are either burned or have been shattered against the wall. Nyla, you have nothing left to take from that apartment, not even a Q-tip remains. Whoever broke in wanted you to only have the clothes on your back. I’m sorry.”

Nyla couldn’t take what Cedric had told her. She couldn’t have been gone that long for that much destruction. Everything she owned was gone? Just the thought of someone hating her that much caused her to instantly break down. Andrew caught her before she fell and turned her body and face into his chest. She was quiet, but he could feel her body trembling.

“Give me a minute, Ced,” Andrew said softly and waited until his brother got far enough from them before he spoke again. “I’m sorry, baby. I really am.”

“Who could do such a thing?” she quipped harshly against his chest. She then brought her red, fury burning eyes to his. “I mean who hates me that much that they would do this to me? I can’t think of a single person that I’ve wronged.”

“That’s what Cedric and my brothers are here to find out. We all want to know who did this. And I guarantee you they will find the person responsible. In the meantime, we need to get you and Se’Nya out of here. There’s nothing more you can do here. We can stop and get you some things for the baby and yourself. I’ll take care of everything, okay?”

Nyla shook her head. “Andrew, I can’t let you do that. You—”

“Nyla, you’re not letting me do anything. Whatever you need, I got you baby. That’s it.”

Nyla studied Andrew for a long moment before she nodded. There was no use arguing with him. Once she got the money from the insurance claim, she would pay him back.

“I need a minute,” she announced before reaching for Se’Nya.

“I got her. Go take your minute.”

Nyla paused a moment and stared at Andrew before she turned and stepped toward her car.

Once she was a safe distance, Andrew turned and headed toward Cedric.

“Tell me what’s going on? Is her apartment that trashed?” He asked once he was close to Cedric.

Cedric frowned. “It’s worse. Man, I’ve never seen so much rage taken out on inanimate objects in my life. When I say everything is destroyed, I mean everything. They piled her clothes in one pile then pissed on them before they were burned.”

Andrew frowned. “How do you know?”

“Forensics picked up some traces of urine. It’s animal urine, dog or something like that. It’s not human, and it’s not wolf.”

“So, it’s not Leonard and his boys?” Andrew asked him. Se’Nya stirred in her sleep and Andrew rubbed her back.

Cedric moved closer to Andrew. “I know it’s not. I caught traces of a scent in Nyla’s apartment that was familiar to me. It was very faint but I picked it up all throughout the apartment. It was the same scent that I picked up at the Hendricks’ house.”

“Are you sure?” Andrew inquired, his back instantly going rigid despite his heightened curiosity. He looked around the parking lot at the tons of cops and forensic people as well as onlookers from the apartment complex, looking for any potential threat.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Cedric affirmed.

“So that means…”

“Yeah, this was a message to you. And it was a huge statement.”

“Fuck,” Andrew spit and Se’Nya started fidgeting against him. He comforted her while thinking about what to do next. “Do you know someone who can clean up the apartment once you guys are done here?”

Cedric looked into Se’Nya’s bright gray eyes and smiled. He touched her little arm. “Yup, they’re on their way. They will make this apartment look as if no one ever lived here.”

“Good. Now, tell me what happened to you earlier.”

Cedric’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“When you first spotted us and came over, you seemed off your game.”

Cedric took a few minutes to think what he was referring to then it hit him. He looked sheepishly at his Alpha and he shook his head. “I don’t know how to describe it. The second I saw Nyla, I instantly felt something.”

Andrew’s face grew pensive. “What do you mean you felt something? What the hell did you feel?”

“Oh, calm the fuck down. It’s not what you think.”

“Okay, then explain.”

Cedric sighed and looked in Nyla’s direction before he spoke. “The moment I looked at her, I felt like I had to protect her. I mean I needed to protect her and not from some impending danger. I looked around for anything and the coast was clear. No threat existed. But when I looked at her, the need was there and it was strong. Man, it ran deep, you know what I’m saying? It was as if I was born to protect her.”

“Born to?” Andrew inquired, his voice taking more of a dumbfounded tone than an aggressive one.

“Yeah, bro. It’s the same way Elese felt when she first met Nyla. At first, she thought there was trouble and that she needed to protect you. After she took a few minutes to survey the area, she realized that her alarm bells were going off for Nyla, not you. She couldn’t pinpoint the trouble, but she felt it nonetheless. Then the guys said they had felt it too. Winston, Brody, Deacon all got that feeling. Even Edgar said he felt something when he first started following her. Bro, there’s no denying who she is.” Cedric looked behind Andrew at Nyla. “All we need to do now is figure out who is after Luna and protect her.”

Andrew glared at Cedric. “What the fuck is it with you assholes and this Luna thing? I haven’t claimed her yet and—”

“And clearly you don’t need to in order for us to feel what we’re feeling for her. Don’t fuck this up, AP, seriously or it’s your ass.”

Andrew looked over at Nyla and found her talking on the phone. He sighed and realized that Cedric was right, at least about protecting her. They needed to figure out who was after Nyla and fast. For one reason only and that was his own selfish needs.

He couldn’t lose her.